Zao Church Collective

Zao Church Collective

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Zao Church Collective episodes

  • 12.1.19 Hark! A Message of Hope

    Hark! A Message of Hope.

    Who gets the first Angelic message leading up to the birth of Christ? Is it Mary? Joseph? The donkey? Actually, it's...Jesus' uncle. Wait, what? This week, meet Zechariah. His message from Gabriel is surprising, confusing, and utterly unbelievable.


    Hark! A message of hope.

    Series: Hark!

    Ever wondered why "Do not be afraid!" is the first message of most Angels in the Bible? Is it because they always seem to come like a bump in the night? Perhaps they are terrifying in appearance, unlike the haloed artwork we adore. Or maybe it's just really frightening to know that you, little old you, are receiving a message from the divine.

    This advent/Christmas season, we'll be exploring the proclamations of many angels leading up to the birth of Jesus. What were these messages about, and why were they so important that they needed to be delivered in person?

    Hark! An urgent message.

    31 min
  • 11.24.19 Imposter: Finding the Real Jesus - Real Jesus Got Riled Up

    Imposter Jesus is always so calm - he'd never raise his voice or cause a scene! But Real Jesus? He's righteously flipping tables and whipping livestock - in church, no less!


    Find out why Jesus basically started a riot in the temple, and why that's really, really cool.

    Imposter: Finding the Real Jesus

    You've heard about Jesus, right? The inexplicably blonde guy who grew up in the Middle East 2,000 years ago, but somehow has the sensibilities of a modern Midwestern White American? The polite, rule-following, calm, non-confrontational, pro-government, super pious guy who was very nice but always looking down his nose at people enjoying themselves just a little *too* much? Yeah, that guy is not Jesus. That’s an imposter. The real Jesus of Nazareth was a rule breaker. He was confrontational. He was a creative resister of a government with which he was in constant public conflict. He hung out with the wrong crowd and had a reputation for loving his wine.And, of course, he was brown (what with being Middle Eastern).

    29 min
  • 11.17.19 Imposter, Finding the Real Jesus: Real Jesus wasn't Pro Government

    Imposter Jesus is a flag toting, apple-pie loving, good old fashioned patriot, right?

    Well, Real Jesus is over here subtly advocating non-payment of taxes and pulling the wool over on the Roman government while he does it.

    Come hear what "render unto Caesar" *really* means, and why it's more Christ-like to resist human governments than to blindly support them.

    Imposter: Finding the Real Jesus

    You've heard about Jesus, right? The inexplicably blonde guy who grew up in the Middle East 2,000 years ago, but somehow has the sensibilities of a modern Midwestern White American? The polite, rule-following, calm, non-confrontational, pro-government, super pious guy who was very nice but always looking down his nose at people enjoying themselves just a little *too* much? Yeah, that guy is not Jesus. That’s an imposter. The real Jesus of Nazareth was a rule breaker. He was confrontational. He was a creative resister of a government with which he was in constant public conflict. He hung out with the wrong crowd and had a reputation for loving his wine.And, of course, he was brown (what with being Middle Eastern).

    Join us this fall in search of the real Jesus of Nazareth.
    We promise, he's way better than that blonde guy you heard about.

    26 min
  • 11.04.19 Imposter: Finding the Real Jesus - Real Jesus was Subversive, not Submissive

    Ever heard the phrase "turn the other cheek"? Turns out that it might not mean what you think it does.

    Imposter Jesus uses this phrase to pressure victims of violence, abuse, and oppression to simply submit. But Real Jesus was doing something much more radical and powerful with this teaching - he was teaching oppressed folks specific tactics of survival and non-violent resistance.

    Come find out why turn the other cheek was really a metaphorical slap in the face of the Romans, and what it means for standing up to abuse in our own context.
    ********************************************
    Imposter: Finding the Real JesuYou've heard about Jesus, right?
    The inexplicably blonde guy who grew up in the Middle East 2,000 years ago, but somehow has the sensibilities of a modern Midwestern White American? The polite, rule-following, calm, non-confrontational, pro-government, super pious guy
    who was very nice but always looking down his nose at people enjoying themselves just a little *too* much? Yeah, that guy is not Jesus. That’s an imposter. The real Jesus of Nazareth was a rule breaker. He was confrontational. He was a creative resister of a government with which he was in constant public conflict. He hung out with the wrong crowd and had a reputation for loving his wine. And, of course, he was brown (what with being Middle Eastern).

    Join us this fall in search of the real Jesus of Nazareth.
    We promise, he's way better than that blonde guy you heard about.

     

    38 min
  • 10.29.19 Imposter, Finding the Real Jesus: Real Jesus Broke the Rules

    Imposter Jesus is all about rules over people. He would never dream of breaking rules - what would people think?? Meanwhile, Real Jesus is breaking rules left and right when they get in the way of loving people (which, he says, is the real purpose of the law anyway).


    Come hang this week and hear what Jesus had to say to his rule-obsessed haters, and why loving God and Neighbor sometimes means breaking all the rules.

    ********************************************
    Imposter: Finding the Real Jesus

    You've heard about Jesus, right? The inexplicably blonde guy who grew up in the Middle East 2,000 years ago, but somehow has the sensibilities of a modern Midwestern White American? The polite, rule-following, calm, non-confrontational, pro-government, super pious guy who was very nice but always looking down his nose at people enjoying themselves just a little *too* much? Yeah, that guy is not Jesus. That’s an imposter. The real Jesus of Nazareth was a rule breaker. He was confrontational. He was a creative resister of a government with which he was in constant public conflict. He hung out with the wrong crowd and had a reputation for loving his wine.And, of course, he was brown (what with being Middle Eastern).

    Join us this fall in search of the real Jesus of Nazareth.
    We promise, he's way better than that blonde guy you heard about.

    27 min
  • 10.20.19 Imposter: Finding the Real Jesus - Real Jesus Knew How to Party

    "Real Jesus Knew How to Party"

    Some of us have been told that Jesus was tight-laced, super serious, and overall kind of a bummer. But scripture paints a very different picture. Come hear about the savior of all creation, who was also called a drunk and a glutton by the religious authorities of his day. Hear about the wedding he took to the next level, and why joy, beauty, and fun are a fundamental part of the kingdom that Jesus invites us into.

    You've heard about Jesus, right?

    The inexplicably blonde guy who grew up in the Middle East 2,000 years ago, but somehow has the sensibilities of a modern Midwestern White American? The polite, rule-following, calm, non-confrontational, pro-government, super pious guy who was very nice but always looking down his nose at people enjoying themselves just a little *too* much?

    Yeah, that guy is not Jesus. That’s an imposter.

    The real Jesus of Nazareth was a rule breaker.

    He was confrontational. He was a creative resister of a government with which he was in constant public conflict. He hung out with the wrong crowd and had a reputation for loving his wine.And, of course, he was brown (what with being Middle Eastern).

    We promise, he's way better than that blonde guy you heard about.

    23 min
  • 9.8.19 Sunday School Horror Stories: David and Goliath

    THIS WEEK: A child leaves his summer gig sheep when he volunteers to go to war. His country's army is losing, but never fear - kid soldier to the rescue. Armed with only a stick, a sling, and 5 stones, David goes up against a deadly warrior from an enemy country. Against all odds, David murders his first human being, decapitates him, and delivers the severed head to Jerusalem. What a rascal. Don't worry, David - puberty will seem like a breeze compared to this!


    Perhaps one of our most famous Sunday School Horror Stories, David and Goliath is in desperate need of a deeper reading. Where was the king? Why was a child the one to save the country? And how does this story, for all its gore, communicate a reversal of power in the kingdom of God?

    26 min
  • 8.25.19 Sunday School Horror Stories: Esther

    THIS WEEK: After the Queen of Persia is deposed for refusing the King's order to parade naked through a party drunk, powerful, entitled men, King needs a new wife. Enter young Esther, who is selected to participate in what is basically a year long beauty contest to become the next lucky lady to be ordered around by the King.

    But be careful, young Esther! Don't tell anyone you're Jewish, because the King's main advisor is plotting to kill all the Jewish people in Persia. Recently seen on a list of "Bible Stories Preschool Girls Should Know", cuz, obvi.

    The book of Esther is the only canonized book in the Christian bible that makes no reference to God. But in a world of modern #metoo horror stories, lifting up the experiences of women navigating sexualization, oppression, and power has never been more important.

    ********************************************
    Join us this summer as we revisit those classic bible stories adults love to tell to children: David & Goliath, Jonah & the Whale, Noah’s Ark, and more. We love to tell these stories to kids because they feature children and/or animals, but on closer examination, these stories are MESSED UP.

    Child soldiers, whales who swallow people whole, and (let’s face it) God’s genocide of basically the entire planet. We’ll revisit these stories with a more critical lens and discover that while the horror is real, so is the grace, beauty, and love of God.

    33 min
  • 8.11.19 Sunday School Horror Stories: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

    THIS WEEK: Three boys in a foreign country are thrown into a furnace to burn to death because they are religious minorities. The kids will love it!


    If you grew up on Veggie Tales (no judgement), you might remember the story of Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego being about a big chocolate bunny that demands idol worship "I don't love my mom or my dad, just the bunny."

    Creepy.

    Worth celebrating here is the persistence of the oppressed under the heel of empire, the faithfulness of God in hopeless situations, and the beauty of an ancient form of prophetic literature known as Apokalypsis.

    ********************************************
    Join us this summer as we revisit those classic bible stories adults love to tell to children: David & Goliath, Jonah & the Whale, Noah’s Ark, and more. We love to tell these stories to kids because they feature children and/or animals, but on closer examination, these stories are MESSED UP.

    Child soldiers, whales who swallow people whole, and (let’s face it) God’s genocide of basically the entire planet. We’ll revisit these stories with a more critical lens and discover that while the horror is real, so is the grace, beauty, and love of God.

    36 min
  • 7.28.19 Sunday School Horror Stories: Abraham & Issac

    (Please note: We had technical difficulties. The quality of the podcast is not what it has been or will be. Thanks for listening & for your understanding)

    THIS WEEK: A charming story of a father son camping trip takes a dark turn when little Isaac discovers that the firewood dad made him haul isn't just for keeping warm after the sun goes down...


    This celebrated story of human child sacrifice comes to its status as a Sunday School classic by way of the "there a kid in it!" clause.
    So, little Timmy, does your dad love you?
    Does he love God more?
    Sorry, Timmy, your dad isn't a true man of God unless he'd be willing to murder you without question if that's what God asks.

    But don't give up on Abraham and Isaac yet! Though often told as a straightforward "God might ask you to slaughter your family to prove your faithfulness" story, this biblical account has a number of amazing tricks up its sleeves. Minor spoiler: God DOESN'T actually want you to murder children, and this story is here to help you remember that.

    You can sleep tight, Timmy. God's got your back.

    ********************************************
    Join us this summer as we revisit those classic bible stories adults love to tell to children: David & Goliath, Jonah & the Whale, Noah’s Ark, and more. We love to tell these stories to kids because they feature children and/or animals, but on closer examination, these stories are MESSED UP.

    Child soldiers, whales who swallow people whole, and (let’s face it) God’s genocide of basically the entire planet. We’ll revisit these stories with a more critical lens and discover that while the horror is real, so is the grace, beauty, and love of God.

    29 min

About Zao Church Collective

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Sermons from Zao Church Collective. Zao is a Jesus-rooted, justice centered, radically inclusive network of digitally-connected house churches.